Rebel Rebel Records Top 5

June 24, 2013

Summer’s here and Rebel Rebel Records Top 5 this week walks the line between hot and cool. Lou Doillon’s debut album is finally released in the US this week after last years stellar reviews in France. The daughter of director Jacques Doillon and icon Jane Birken creates a confident collection of songs sung with her raspy distinctive and knowing voice. Sarah Lay from Louder Than War writes “This is a debut that shows a songwriter finding her way into music and certainly peaks to show true potential in vocal, lyric and melody. But this is also an accessible album that doesn’t challenge or frighten people away – if as an artist she does pursue the punk poet leanings of the track Places that could be a very exciting combination.”

The 73 year old Staple Singer and gospel legend is back teaming up with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Jon Hadusek of Consequence of Sound writes “she doesn’t dwell on the things out of her control. On “I Like the Things About Me”, she shrugs off her faults and actually embraces the mistakes she’s made. The warmth in her voice conveys confidence; she truly and undeniably believes in what she’s singing.”

Scottish band Camera Obscura’s fifth album “opens with a small string arrangement that ends up being in contrast with rather than foreshadowing the rest of the album’s arrangements. Strings make brief appearances but they never form the crux of the melody (a la “French Navy”). The songs are more often tinged with a sense of rousing brit pop or wholesome americana (partly thanks Tucker Martine’s adept production). On “Do it Again” Campbell channels the kind of assuredness in creating pop music that you’d expect from the man she sang to on “Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken.” The song punches along, buoyed by Campbell’s sly confidence and the sexual intrigue created by her telling her “insatiable” lover to “do it again.” The eponymous track is slightly less erotic, but it’s a beautiful meld of country twang and Glaswegian charm. Americana sung in a Scottish accent is surprisingly refreshing.” Drew Malmuth / Pretty Much Amazing

Danny Wadeson of The Line of the Best Fit reviews Tunng’s new disc Turbines….”Overall, this darker mood is probably the main differentiation, though that’s not to say Turbines is thoroughly morose. The album’s middle third for example certainly kicks things up a notch, with the dense, energetically folk-y fretwork of ‘Bloodlines’ and ‘Follow Follow’ making expert and signature use of restrained electronics and a quietly epic chorus.”

“Atlas is a deep and ethereal album with a huge cinematic sonic geography. Ice covered shimmering alien worlds stretch before you from the outset, lonely treks through desolate landscapes are conjured up with the opening windswept synth pad gambit of “Otherland.” The whole album is a continuation of this opening statement; deep and crisp production with haunting snippets of melody weaving cunningly in and out of moody soundscapes. This is a work of some considerable accomplishment” writes Gustave Savy of Igloo Magazine.